


Vide Noir

by raistorm



Category: RWBY
Genre: Angst, Atlas - Freeform, Branding, Comfort, F/F, SDC, dark themes, v6 - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-24
Updated: 2019-02-24
Packaged: 2019-11-04 18:38:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,851
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17903432
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/raistorm/pseuds/raistorm
Summary: Shortly after arriving in Atlas, Blake infiltrates the SDC mines in attempt to liberate the faunus enslaved there. They encounter armed guards at the exit, broken, and all seems lost. But all is not lost.





	Vide Noir

/many nights have I heard her voice

whisper my name without making a noise

calling out from a pure, black void/

 

 

Blake leaned heavily on the wall of the dust mine, panting. A group of haggard-looking faunus drifted behind her like ghosts, emaciated and exhausted, but their eyes glimmered in the rays of sunlight coming from the entrance of the cave. Her infiltration mission was a success, however, not without cost. She lifted the edge of her sleeve to reveal an oozing wound.

The letters SDC seared wetly into her shoulder.

Huffing, she pushed forward. There was a greenish tinge to the flesh. It wasn’t healing correctly and that, coupled with lack of food and water made her lightheaded, feverish. Her body trembled as beads of sweat formed on her forehead. She thought of Yang… smiling at her, waiting for her. Blake felt the hair on her arms rise. It urged to her take the final steps. To free these faunus from the clutches of this cruel labor camp and get back to Yang. She’d made a promise, after all.

Her foot caught on a rock, and she stumbled with a cry of pain, scraping her knees. One of the group behind her shuffled to her aid. It was the crocodile faunus, Nilotai, his eyes the thinnest slits in the light, a light that he hadn’t seen in so long. He was strong, though, and slung her arm over his shoulder to lift her back up.

“We couldn’t have done it without you, kid,” he said, gruffly. Blake smiled, but that’s all she had the energy to do. She looked up once more and continued up. They were so close. Her breath became shallow with anticipation.

“Halt!” The click of guns stopped them in their tracks. Red lights. “Put your hands where we can see them! Now!”

The guards.

No. Of course they wouldn’t have left an exit to the mines unprotected. Blake cursed and slammed her hand against the rock, ignoring the fresh coat of blood pooling around her fingers.

She glanced behind her, the fear palpable in the group she’d just liberated. There were only three men standing between them and freedom, but they were fully armed with Atlas tech and fresh for a confrontation. While there were a dozen faunus behind her, they were in no condition to fight, so she wasn’t to keen on their chances of survival, much less escape.

A breath left her chest, contemplating defeat. She was so tired. They were so close. She didn’t want to die here, not after all that she’d survived over the past few weeks. It couldn’t just end.

Slowly, and with great effort, she lifted her hands in surrender. Murmurs of panic grew in volume behind her.

There was a tense moment of contemplation within the group, do they surrender with their leader? Or die? Some began to raise their hands, but others grew angry and began to fidget.

A blast from the entrance shook Blake from her defeat. She looked up to see gold.

“What—“

“Who’re yo— AH!”

The clank of Atlas armor and screaming jolted their attention. Blake squinted against the light.

It was Yang.

Her hair ablaze and eyes aglow with wrath.

Time slowed as Blake watched as Yang flung her fists wildly, in a flurry, at the guards. There was no finesse or grace in her movements. The terrible sound of gunshots and bones crunching and screams meant she wasn’t pulling her punches, either. Desperation and fear burned those red eyes, burning with the need to find her partner.

To find Blake.

After only a few rattling seconds, the last guard fell to the dirt, unconscious, bleeding.

“Yang!” cried Blake. Her voice, a dry rasp, bounced off the walls of the mine, and when Yang’s eyes snapped to the sound, the red seeped out of them like tears, her shoulders falling in utter relief.

“B-Blake…” she said, panting, sweating. Bruises and blood and grime and sweat covered her face, her clothes. How long had she been fighting, searching for her? She took a few shaky steps down into the darkness, speeding up with each step. She couldn’t see Blake but she knew that voice and she pushed herself into the shadows, knowing, believing it was her.

Blake pushed herself from Nilotai’s support and rushed forward, using her last bit of strength to get to Yang, the light. The burning light. She reached out for those arms and nearly collapsed in Yang, who was ready for her despite being unable to see.

When their bodies crashed together so did their lips, searing in desperation and exhaustion and relief and _finally_. Yang held her up, tears and blood wetting Blake’s face as Blake sank deeper into Yang, safe. Finally safe. Their hearts pounded against against each other as they realized what they were doing. It was breathless instinct. It was unrefined and reactionary. Teeth and tongues and lips mashed together, chaotic and agonizing and wildly full of confessions held secret for so long.

It was necessary.

When they pulled apart they were practically gasping for air, tears streaming down their cheeks. Yang placed her hand on Blake’s face with a smile, crooked with joy and love and pride and concern and fear. Full of _I found you_.

Blake leaned into the touch before her body gave way. The pain and sickness and thirst and hunger were finally too much. Yang eased her to the ground, and immediately began to assess to damage on Blake’s unconscious body.

Nilotai approached them. “The brand is infected, she needs medical attention… now.”

Yang snapped her eyes to him. “Brand?”

The faunus kneeled beside them, slowly, as if afraid any sudden movements would spark anger or violence. He just saw what the woman in front of him was capable of, and what she was about to see would be… well.

He lifted Blake’s sleeve, revealing the nasty, blistering SDC. Yang’s eyes snapped open in a fiery red, but she didn’t say anything. She took a couple of deep, shuddering breaths and nodded her head, contemplating her options. It took a few moments to calm herself, but the matter at hand was turning dire. Her rage would not help Blake right now. The cat in her arms was trembling, fighting invisible forces behind fluttering eyelids.

Yang looped a metal arm under Blake’s knees, and the other across her shoulders, and heaved upward. Nilotai took Blake’s arm and draped it over Yang’s neck for extra support. Yang nodded to him in silent thanks.

“There’s a scroll in my back pocket,” she said. “I need you to call someone for me.”

Nilotai nodded. He looked back to the ragged group behind him.

“After all these years, we’re free,” he said, choking up. He looked at their impromptu leader in the arms of human stranger with some trepidation, but quickly recovered. “Those of you who want to run as soon as possible, may do so at your own risk, I however, will help these two find safety. Those who want to join me, may do so also… at your own risk.”

The faunus glanced among each other, whispering. About half of them rushed to the exit, understandably, and half stayed, eyes ablaze with determination.

“Alright,” he huffed. “Let’s get the hell outta here.”

Yang nodded at all of them.

“Thank you.”

—————————————————————————

 

Ruby and Weiss rushed out of the airship as soon as it landed. It all happened in a blur of shocked faces and reaching hands quickly turning panicked as they realized Blake’s condition. Qrow ushered them all into the airship and Maria took off as soon as Yang and the faunus were settled.

Blake was coming in and out of consciousness. She kept seeing flashes of golden hair and deep purple eyes staring down at her. They looked sad and afraid, but also dreamlike, undulating, drifting around and around. Dizzy, sick feeling. Tired. Too uncomfortable to sleep. Waking up again.

_Am I dying?_

Blake kept trying to lift her hand to touch that face and take away the bad expression, but her hands wouldn’t cooperate. She felt hands on her. Cool metal on her forehead brought quick relief to her burning skin. She was so cold at the same time. She trembled and tried her hardest to clutch onto reality.

When she finally woke up, she was in bed. Alive. Feeling coherent and… much better. She glanced around. It was Schnee manor. She started up in confusion and fear, pulling the sheets off in a flurry.

“Blake,” said Yang, who’d been standing guard at the door. “It’s okay. You’re safe.”

“But,” she started, mind racing with events and circumstances. The faunus! Where was Nilotai? Why was she at Schnee manor of all places? Why was she still in Atlas at all? Why was Yang so calm?

“I know this is a lot, but believe me when I say you’re safe. Qrow contacted Ironwood immediately and through some unorthodox… methods, we’ve tied Jacque’s hands and… arranged for them to give you medical attention. I’ve been watching this room like a hawk. Ruby and Weiss are outside the door,” she said, moving to sit at the edge of the bed. “We’ve got everyone else on patrol in this wing of the manor. We’re getting you out of critical condition so we can get out of here. So we can figure out what to do about…” she glanced at Blake’s arm.

Blake’s ears flattened. Her arm was bandaged, but still burning. She wondered if it would ever stop. She tried not to think about it, but flashes of a branded face intruded her mind’s eye. She shook her head.

“What about Nilotai and the rest of the faunus?” Her branding would have been all for nothing if they weren’t safe, too.

Yang’s eyes softened in something she couldn’t quite place.

“Always thinking of others…” Yang said, mostly to herself. “They’re okay. Recovering. We’re getting them out of here, too.”

Blake released a breath. Thank the gods.

Yang placed a hand on Blake’s, and Blake finally remembered. the exit of the mines, the stark light against the shadows, her body colliding into Yang’s. They’d… or had they? Was it all a part of that damn fever dream? Her face flushed as she looked at Yang, the question burning in her eyes. Yang softened once more and took Blake’s face in her hands before kissing her so gently it felt like a breeze wisping across her lips.

“Yes, that happened,” said Yang, “And it will keep happening… if you want it to.”

Blake’s eyes welled up with fresh tears. The road ahead would be full of pain as long as there were still faunus trapped in Atlas, her people. It was her destiny to become their leader, to free them, to fight. It would take a lifetime. Yang saw this resolve in her partner and vowed to take up the same mantle. Beside her. With her.

“Yes,” Blake nodded. “Yes, Yang.”

They kissed again. This time, with silent vows only they could hear.

Time trembled in front of them.

**Author's Note:**

> Reposted from Tumblr. Listen to this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UxDL2To1iTA


End file.
